Day 175

The days continue to pass by with little excitement. I was told a few weeks ago that our mortar squad would start tower guard October 1st while everyone takes turns going on leave. That has changed for some reason and we will be handing over our duties here at the JSS to B company permanently. Supposedly our mortar squad will be attached to 4th platoon and we will conduct regular patrols. You never can tell what will happen though because things change so quickly and the planning never stops.

I have to admit the JSS isn't such a bad assignment. I have guard shift from 0200-0400 everyday, so that leads me to sleep from the time I get off until some time in the afternoon. Pfc. Thompson mans the radio in the Stryker out back, but usually he comes in during the day for a few hours to stretch out and eat. This is my wake up call and I go out to "the truck" as we call it, and pass the time reading or watching DVD's. Right now I'm reading Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming, the second book of the Bond series. I plan to read all of them.

There is always some kind of improvement going on. Today the detail to be taken care of is the removal of the wood box shaped latrines that were in use by the Iraqis before we got here. Right now a team of men is carrying the wood over to the burn pit and taking care of the rest.
We are down to MRE's again and the next shipment is still five days away. I ran out of snacks on the third day here, leading me to look forward to an occasional bag of skittles or some potato sticks that pop up in an MRE.

One guy stationed here with us is coming up on the time when he leaves Iraq. He's planning a trip across Europe when he gets out of the army. I have been giving him tips and helping with some internet research since I have been there twice. Another guy, one of the medics, already went on leave back home to Louisiana and then to Florida with his wife. He went bunji jumping and jet skiing. This was shortly after an accident he had on a patrol. He was riding in the stryker when they hit an IED. He took shrapnel to the side of the head and the thigh and was medevac'd to Balad where they stitched him up. He's OK now, but with a few scars.

Every so often there is an explosion outside the compound. Some are louder than others depending on how far away. Some are controlled detonations-IED's that have been spotted on the roadside and set off by the EOD crew (bomb squad.) There is a boom and then you feel the shock wave through the ground. The most serious controlled detonation was a few weeks ago when they blew up the abandoned train station 300 yards down the road. There were plans to remove the site because the enemy could use it for cover. I was walking in the main entrance at about 2300 one night when it went off, the shockwave actually pushing me in the door. It was very loud so they probably used an excessive amount of C4. One guy recorded it on his digital camera; there was some sort of blue electrical surge and then a large explosion in the night. Needless to say there is no more train station.

The Iraqi police are fasting for Ramadan. It lasts 40 days and nights, and they stop to pray often during the day. This morning while I was still on my hall guard shift, a group of them came in to eat before dawn. I was hungry so I popped in to the office to ask for some real food instead of MRE's. There was a small cooked hen laying on top of a platter of rice and sliced cucumbers. I gave them a few diet sodas in return for a plate. We have no more good drinks such as 'Rip It', the energy drink over here, or regular Coke and Pepsi. Only Diet Sprite and an endless supply of Gatorade packets for our bottled water.

I go on leave in less than two weeks but there will probably be a layover in Kuwait for a few days. After spending some time at home I'm flying down to the Dominican Republic. I will make sure and bring my camera.